The German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) invites innovators to develop new transport applications that exploit the potential of Copernicus in possible combination with other geo-data.

Jul 13, 2016 -- Geared towards entrants from all over the world, the sixth edition of the biggest international competition in the
commercial use of Earth observation data is on the hunt for outstanding ideas, applications, and business concepts that use such information in everyday life.

Myriad industries and areas of public interest stand to profit from the advances of the Copernicus programme. On behalf of ESA, AZO and its world-class partners launched the Copernicus Masters in 2011 as part of its mission to foster user uptake of Copernicus Services.

Transport is a key sector of society. As our mobility and thus the ability to get around continues to increase, transport systems face major challenges, including congestion, infrastructure quality and maintenance, oil dependency, emissions, safety, and competition within the transport sector. Intelligent transport solutions and smart city initiatives offer a way to reduce this burden and improve quality of life. These are areas in which Copernicus can serve as the catalyst for potential solutions.

The
BMVI Earth Observation Challenge for Digital Transport Applications is thus looking for innovative Copernicus-based transport applications at the local, national, Europe-wide, or even global level. The ideas submitted can target any mode of transportation (including intermodal arrangements) and user groups, such as those involved in traffic planning, infrastructure operation and maintenance, commercial stakeholders, and private transport.

Participants are encouraged to explore the potential of combining Copernicus data and services with other information, for example transport-related data from BMVI agencies, to create a higher-level product or service. In-situ data sources can include (but are not limited to) near-real or real-time information on traffic, pollution, social interactions, weather conditions, and crowdsourcing. Entries are welcome from individuals, start-ups or established businesses.

The winning proposal will be awarded a cash prize (EUR 5,000) and a support package tailored to the requirements of its realization. Moreover, the winner will benefit from a substantial satellite data quota worth EUR 10,000 made available with financial support by the European Commission.

In 2016, the winners of each challenge won´t be the only participants to be awarded prizes and turn their ideas into successful applications. For the first time ever, the finalists will also greatly benefit from the participation in this competition, thanks to the new
Copernicus Accelerator initiative, funded by the European Commission and organised by AZO.

AZO has been carrying out the Copernicus Masters competition on behalf of ESA since 2011. By leveraging its extensive experience as a specialist in building and maintaining global innovation networks and organising related competitions, the company supports product innovations and the creation of new businesses, particularly in the field of commercial aerospace applications.
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